Valve cut-off and speed indicator



l V. Z. CARACRISTI. 'VALVE CUT-OFF AND SPEED INDICTOQL APPLICATION FILE-D MAR. 8, 192gl LM 9,61%, Patented me 13, 1922.

TTORNE VIRGINUSZ. CARACRISTI, OFBRONXVILLE, NEW YORK.

'VALVE CUT-OFF ANI) SPEED INDICATOR.

Application filed March 8, 1922. Serial N'o. 541,941.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that l, VIRGINiUs Z. CARA-- CRIsTr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bronxville, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Valve Cut-Uff and Speed Indicators', of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to valve cut-olf and speed indicators for locomotives of that character wherein means is operatively correlated with the speed indicator for the purpose of'correotin the position of the cut-off valve in accordance with the piston stroke and speed of the engine in order to thereby maintain a predetermined ratio between the piston speed and the point of cut-o'. A valve cut-off correction device of this general character is full described and broadly claimed in Patent o. 1,398,256 granted to me on November 29, 1921.

1t is the primary object and purpose'of my present improvement to provide means whereby the operation of the valve cut-0H indicator is automatically compensated to differences in the angular movement of the cut-oft' valve with respect to that of the operating gear.

It is a more particular object of my present invention to provide a corrective or compensating means controlling the operation of the valve cut-off indicator which is positive and reliable in its operation, as well as being simple in its construction.

With the above and other objects inview, the invention consists in the improved actuating means for the valve cut-0E indicator and in the form, proportion and relative arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated inthe subjoined claims.

1n the drawing wherein I have disclosed one simple and practical embodiment ofi the present invention and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding` parts throughout the several views,

igure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation in dotted outline of a locomotive, the valve cut-olf indicator and its operating means beingrshown in full lines, and

ig. 2 is arrenlarged vertical section through the housing o r casing for the com-V pensating or corrective means for the indicator.

Since reference may be readily had to my prior patent above identied, it will not be necessary to. herein refer to the speciic form and arrangement of the speed and valve cut-off indicating means which is mounted in the cab of the locomotive. As disclosed in said patent, as the -s eed of the engine increases and the reverse liever is actuated to correspondingly position the cut-off valve, such position will be indicated on the valve cut-off scale by movement of a hand or pointer which should at all times be positioned in corresponding relation to the hand or pointer moving over a correlated speed indicating scale.u For the purposes of thel present explanation it will suiiice to state that this indicating mechanism, generally designated `in the accompanying drawing by the numeral 5, is conveniently mounted in lthe left hand side of the locomotive cab where it may be readily observed by the engineer. rlher movable h and or pointer of the speed indicating scale isgeared in any conventional way to one of the drive axles of the locomotive. rlhe hand or pointer of the valve cut-O indicator is actuated through the medium of a vertically movable rod 6A which extends downwardly through the flor of the cab and into a housin orcasin 7 which is suitably mounted gbeneath t e cab floor.

`The reverse lever 8 of the locomotive is operatively connected by means of the rod 9 and a Vbell-crank lever 10 to the valveoperating gear 11. The bell-crank lever is fixed to one end of a tumbling shaft 12.

Upon the other end of the tumbling shaft 12, an arm 13 is fixed, said arm being pivotally connected to one end of a rod 14, the other end of which is connected to an arm 15 fixed upon one end of a shaft' 16 which is journaled in the opposite side walls of the casing or housing 7:

Within the housing 7 the lower end of the indicator operating rod 6 is connected to a horizontal arm 17 formed on the -upper end of a bifurcated member 18. The spaced arms of the member 18 extend downwardl and are slotted as at 19 to straddle the sha 16. The member 18 is further provided with an upwardly projecting stem 20 which is movably ided in a sleeve 21 fixed to the top waluof the housing or casing 7.

A coil spring 22 surrounds theL stem 20 and.

` meshes with a pinion 24E secured on the shaft 25 which is likewise journaled in the side walls of the casing 7 in parallel relation to the shaft 16. Upon this shaft 25 a cam member 26 is securely fixed and is disposed between the slotted arms of -the member i8., A roller 27 is journaled between the spaced arms of the member 18 and is yieldingly held i-n bearing contact with the edge of the cam 26 by the action of the spring 22. The gear 23 and pinion 2e may be of Adesired ratio as will be determined by the form of the cam and the differences in angular movement of the valve gear and the cutolf valve.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawingsa the cam 26 is in a neutral position. W hen 'the cut-off valve is actuated by a forward movement of the reverse lever 8 and the engine gathers speed, the valve cut-off indicator is likewise actuated by the movement of the rod la connected to the tumbling shaft l2, such movement transmitting a rocking or oscillating movement'to the' shaft 16 and through the gear 23 and pinion 24 moving thel cam 26 so that its higher edge portion v28 will ride upon the roller 2'? and thus force the member 18 upwardly against the action of the spring 22, moving the operating rod 6 for the indicator to a correspond.- ing extent. lin a reverse movement of the t lever 8 to move the cut-oftq valve so that the locomotive is driven backwardly the edge portion 29 of the cam 26 will coact with the roller 27, and it will be noted that this portion of the edge of the cam is concentric with the axis. of the shaft 25 so' that np movement will be imparted to the operating rod 6v for the indicator.A rlhe cam 26 is provided with a slot 30 concentric with the shaft 25 to accommodate the shaft 16. lin' the drawing the cam 26 is illustrated in its full forward position in'dotted lines at A and -in its full reverse position 'at B.

llt will', of course, be understood that as the cam is returned from ,its full forward position by the operation of the reverse lever to a neutral position, the spring 22 constantly acts to maintain bearing engagement f of the roller 27 on the edge of the cam so "speed that the 'valve cut'off indicator will be acexact degree of cut-off which is necessary in order to maintain'a predetermined driving with maximum operating efficiency. lt will also be understood that a series of interchangeabley cams 26 of diderent form or curvature may be provided and the proper cam selected for the operationoof the .indiramera differences in the angular movement of thel valve gear and the cutbd valve.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that l have devised a very simple and compact arrangement of the corrective or compensating mechanism whereby the operation ofthe valve cut-off' indicator may be accurately controlled regardless of the difference in the angular movements'of the cutoli' valve and the valve gear. llt will also be readily seen that my present improvement can be easily adapted for use in conjunction with the valve cut-oft1 and speed indicator disclosed in my issued patent. The device as herein disclosed has been found very positive and reliable for the purpose in view and constitutes a very important addition to my original invention without complicating the latter or greatly adding to its production cost.

While l have herein illustrated and described one practical and satisfactory embodiment of my present improvement, it

rangement of the several parts as may be.

fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l1 claim:

l. ln combination with the operating gear for the cut-od valve of a locomotive and means for indicating the various positions of said cut-off valve; means for compensating `the operation of the indicator to differences in the angular movement of the cut-off valve with ,respect to the .operating Wear. f a 2. lin combination with the operating gear for the cut-off valve of a locomotive and a reverse lever operatively connected to said gear and means for indicating the various positions of the cut-olf valve; means for.

eration of the reverse lever including means for compensating the operation of the indicator to differences in the angular movement of the cut-off valve with respect to the operating gear. Y

3. lnl combination with the operating gear for the cut-od' valve of a locomotive and a reverse lever operatively connected to said gear and means for indicating various positions of the cut-off valve; means for actuating said indicating means when the reverse lever is moved in one direction and compensating the operation of said indicator by differences in the-angular movement of the cut-od` valve with respect to the operating gear, said means being non-effective toactuate the indicating means upon al movement intieme of the reverse lever in an opposite direc-A tion.

t. ln combination with the operating gear for the cut-od valve of a locomotive and means for indicating various'positions of said cut-0H valve; means for actuating said indicating means including a cam constructed to impart an operating movement to said indicating means in accordance with the di'erences in angular movement of the cut-oil valve with respect to the operating gear.

for said indicating means including a cam operatively connected to the reverse lever, and a member connected to a part of the indicating means and yieldingly held "1 coacting engagement with the cam to be actuated thereby in a movement of the reverse lever in one direction and thereby impart an operating movement to the indicating means to an extent predetermined in accordance with the di'erences in the angular movement of the cut-oli' valve with respect to the operating gear.

ln testimony that l claim thel foregoing as my invention, l have signed my name hereunder.

, viRGiNiUs z. canaonrs'rr 

